Cushion connection for vehicle construction



Aug. v17 192e. 1,596,744. A. H. LEIPERT CUSHION CONNECTION FOR VEHICLE CONSTRUCTION Filed July 21, 1925 2 sheets-sneer 1 [NVE N TOR Aug. 17 1926. 195%@744 A. H. LEIPERT CUSHION CONNECTION FOR VEHICLE CONSTRUCTION Filed July 21 1925 2 'sheets-sheer 2 WELW the patent to Alfred Patented ug., 17, 1926..

Unirse srA'rss PATENT ors-lcs.l

ASSIGNOR TO INTERNATIONAL MOTOR CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

AUGUST E., LEIIERT, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A.

CUSHION CONNECTION FOR. VEHICLE CONSTRUCTION.

Application filed July 21, 192.5. Serial Nov 44,985.

rl"his invention relates to a cushion connection and support between parts of aveliicle, one of which parts is to be connected to and supported by the other part. In F. Masury and August Il. Lcipert, No, 1,404,876 dated January 31, 1922, there is disclosed a yielding non-metall lic mechanical connection and support between parts of a vehicle wherein the cushionv connection comprises yielding non-metallic. material. The present invention seeks to provide a connection having many of the attributes of the patented `construction but wherein the cushion connection is inflatable. In accordance with the invention a pneumatic device is carried with' one of the vehicle parts and engages the other vehicle part. More particularly hollow inflatable intcrcoi'inccted lobes engage opposed sides of the end of one of the vehicle parts and are contained lwithin a receptacle carried with the other vehicle part provision being made, if desired, to inflate the device to the desired degree of rigidity Iwhereby stresses impressed upon one of the vehicle parts are resisted.- The invention will now be described more particularly with reference to a preferred embodiment illustrated 1n the accompanying drawing, in which:-

Figure l is a view in side elevation and partly in section showing the invention applied as a cushion connection and support between the frame and leaf spring of a motor vehicle.

` Figure 2 is a View taken in the plane indicated by the line 2-2 in Figure l and like c3. Within the housing is disposed a hollow member indicated in general at ci This member is preferably formed of two Y enlarged portions or lobes 07, d2 disposedabove and below the end of the spring and forming load and rebound sections', respectively. The upper inner wall of the housing is formed with a curvilinear recess 04 forming a seat for the top surface of the lobe d and a similar seat c5 is formedl in the detachable wall for the rebound seetions dg. (Jo-operating seats a', a2 may be secured to the end of the leaf spring to receive the proximate surfaces of the respective lobes. Connecting the lobes d and d2 is channel section d3 wherein a portion of the passage as at d'4 extends substantially parallel to the axis of the spring and lies between shoulders c formed in the housing proper and c7 formed in the detachable silde 2c and the inner edges a3 of the seats a a Obviously the pneumatic connecting element al may bel inflated toy the desired degree before insertion in the housing or may be provided with a valve e extending through an aperture es at any convenient point inthe housing by which the cushion connection may be inflated to the desired degree., The-walls of the connection may be formed of any yielding non-metallic material, such as rubber, and may, if desired, be re-eni'orcedl either by cords f or may be of fabricated rubber g. It may even be provided. with what may be termed an inner tube or air chamber it,

looking in the direction of the arrowsn Figure 3 is a View similar to Figure l but showing the re-enforcement of the walls ol the connection with fabric andthe use ol an inner tube or chamber for the inflating medium.

Figure elis a fragmentary view, similar to Figure 3, but showing the use of cord reenforceinent in the connection.

Referring to the drawings the leaf spring of a motor vehicle is indicated at a and a chassis side frame member at Carried with the frame member b is a housing c --having a detachable lower side c and an 4'ripening o2 inV one face Vfwhich the end of the spring a extends. The

thereof through detachable side c' may be secured to the housing proper c by means of bolts or lthe The co-operating seats may be so formed as at c4, c5 to engage Athe pneumatic connection rigidly so that there is no relative movement therebetween or they maybe so curved as at c, c5 Figures 3 and el to permit a rollin motion to take place between a lobe and its seat` during spring elongau tion.

Cushions d may be formed uponeither side of the lobes to engage the side walls 09 of the housing and contribute to the resistance which the connection aords the spring to twisting movements and side sway. y

The passage d4 may be so proportioned that upon flexing of the spring under load and reholmd conditions the shoulders c, c andjtr. will compress or pinch the passages the pressure therewithin is momentarily inlcomprising pneumatic `vehicle, one of w y neoted to' and supported by the other part` spring,

creased to resist the added stress.

It will thus be 'seen that a cushion connection is provided between parts of a Vehicle one of which parts is to be connected to and-supported by the other where metal to metal contactis avoided and the degree of rigidity of the engagement' of the respective parts may be determined by the amount of compressiony of the air within the pneumatic connection.

Various modifications may arrangement be made in the matic connection and c'o-operating parts and no limitation is intended by the foregoing description or accompanying illustrations except as indicated in the appended claims.

What I claim is z-f I l. A yielding non-metallic mechanical connection and support between parts of a vehicle, one ot' which parts is to be connected to and supported by the other part devices carried with one part and engaging the other part and resisting tortion thereof.

2. A yielding non-metallic mechanical connection and support between parts oi a vehicle, one of which parts is to be connected to and supported bv the other part comprising a hollow inflatable cushion connection carried with one of the parts and engaging the other ypart and resisting tortion thereof.

3. A yielding non-metallic mechanical connection and suplport between parts of a ich parts is to be lconcomprising a housing carried with one of the vehicle parts and interconnected inflatable portions engaging opposed sides of the other part.

4. A yielding non-metallic mechanical connection and support between the spring and frame of la vehicle comprising a 1011sin carried with the :trame having an open si e int-o -which the end ci the spring extends,,interconnected inflatable portions disposed within the housing-and engaging the upper and'lowerl sides of the end of the and means to iniiate the connection.

5. AA yielding non-metallic mechanical connection and support between the. spring and frame or". a vehicle comprising a housing carried with the frame having an open side into which the end of the spring extends, interconnected inflatable portions disposed and configuration of the pneuwithin the housing and engaging the upper and lower 'sides of the end of the spring,

vand means to isolate the gas content of a portion.

6. A yielding non-metallic mechamcal connection and support between parts of a vehicle, one of which parts is to be connected to and supported by the other part comprising co-operating curvilinear seats carried with the respective parts and a hollow inflatable cushion connection having curvilinear portions carried with the seat on one of the parts and engaging the seat on the other part. 7. A yielding non-metallic mechanical connection and support between parts of a vehicle, one of which parts is to be `connected to and supported by the other ing a housing carried with one of the parts, formed with opposed curvilinear seats and an opening into which the other part eX- tends, opposed curvilinear the other part to co-operate named seats, respectively, and inflatable cushions disposed within the housinv' and engaging the entering curvilinear portions engagin the seats.

8. A yielding non-metal ic mechanical connection and support between parts of a vehicle, one of which parts is to be cbnnected to and supported by the other part comprising carried with one of the parts and engaging the other part and including a separate in,

ner air chamber.`

9. A yielding non-metallic mechanical connection and support between parts of a vehicle, one of which )arts is to be connected to and supported by t e other part comprising co-operating curvilinear seats of predeltermined radius carried with the respective vehicle, one of which parts is to be connected to and supported by the other part com r1sing a hollow inflatable re-enforced cus ion connection carried with one of the parts ar'a engaging the other part.

'This specification signed this 14th day of July, A. D., 1925.

AUGUST H. LEIPERT.

part comprisseats carried with with the first' part and formed with a hollow inflatable cushion connection 

